A Few Firsts!!

We have had some BIG milestones this past week! The biggest and best is that Ry is WALKING! And not just a few steps- she is all over the place! For the past month she has been walking short distances: from Mommy to Daddy, from furniture to furniture, all over the world with the wagon! But now she is walking anywhere she wants and without any coaxing or help! There is no stopping her now. I know that I could have said she was "walking" at 12 months, when she took a few steps, but this is what I call walking! And I am so proud of her. The only bad part was her Daddy was out of town this weekend camping when she really took off. He is not gonna believe it when he gets home!
Secondly this week, Chris got to feel Baby Ivie #2 move! This baby is very active and I felt it move a lot earlier than I recognized Ryan's movement. And now Chris has gotten to feel it a lot sooner this time as well! It is pretty neat. I am really trying to enjoy the fun things about being pregnant because it is over so fast and then you blink and your baby is walking!
And lastly, Ryan has started to show positive signs that she will be a loving big sister. (Remember the doll incident). At bedtime when the three of us are laying in bed while Ryan winds down I will pat my tummy and say "Ryan, can you pat your baby in Mommy's belly?" The first time I was holding my breath as she leaned over awaiting the punch or slap she had in store for me. But to my surprise that time, and every time since, she goes through the sweet routine of gently patting my tummy, then giving it a kiss and laying her head down on it. It is one of the sweetest things that I have seen. My favorite time of the day is laying in bed in the evening goofing off and loving on Ryan with Chris.
Pictures and videos of some of these first to come- I am just too tired tonight!

Over The Top - I Know!

I was talking to my good friend Kristi about how I sometimes surprise myself by the "mom" that I am. Although I have always been a planner and fairly organized, I guess I didn't realize how those traits would carry over when it came to being a "mom". I love a schedule and like to know what to expect in my day to day life. I am not big on the unknown or change. Little did I know that these traits would also influence the way I parent. This is a good thing in many ways, but I think I may take it a little too far. But I just can't help it! My daughter is an excellent eater and sleeper and I feel a tiny bit responsible (or at least the schedule that I have designed)for these things. Therefor I am a little married to this schedule. Thankfully the man I am actually married to is also a believer in the schedule . (Love him!) The only downside is the fact that I feel it necessary to make lists for people who watch her and don't know the schedule by heart. Every time I make one I feel a little embarrassed afterwards when I reread it. Only family watches Ryan, and all of them have successfully raised children, but yet I leave the list. I pray that I do not offend anyone, I hope they just laugh at me, but laugh as they follow the schedule :-) I am only joking-actually straying from the schedule ( a little bit) is not the end of the world. Well, I was talking to Kristi describing the list with all of the obvious details I can't help but to include. She laughed at me and wanted to see it. (We are a lot alike, so I would bet money she has made, or will make a list) So, I am going to laugh at myself, and post an example. We can only hope that this gets better not worse with two little schedules to follow and lists to keep up with- that or I may never be able to convince anyone to keep my children!




To be honest this is a one of my less embarrassing lists.

A Day at the Park With Mommy

We had a nice cool front come in and Ryan and I took advantage of it on Sunday. Chris was doing some manual labor so Ryan and I went on multiple walks. She took her wagon for a spin around the block and then we walked to our neighborhood park. Now that she is so mobile she really has a blast on the playground! Here are some pictures of my big girl at the park.











I also got a new car this weekend. A 2011 Honda Pilot! I am very excited about it. It will be a lot easier to load two little ones in and out of car seats. And this SUV can seat up to 8, so we will have a lot more room. Please let this be the biggest size car I need! No mini vans!

Hanging with Mamaw and Grandpa

Lucky Ry gets to spend a lot of time with Mamaw and Grandpa. She spends 1-2 days a week at their house while we are at work. I captured a few pictures of the fun they have.









My Mom got her hair up in PIG TAILS!!!! Yay! Her hair is finally long enough. Mom said she put it up after a bath when it was wet and Ryan didn't fuss at all. I love pig tails and spent many years in them growing up. Ryan will too. She just looks so much older in them- like a little girl, not a baby (that is the only part I don't like!).

Poor Snot Filled Girl

Poor Ryan got her first upper respiratory infection this past week. She had been so stuffy, and by the time we took her to the doctor it had already spread to her ears. We had been on a good run- several months with no ear infections! Dang it! Poor girl can't blow her nose so it just drains down her throat and into her ears. She is on antibiotics now, and it seems to be getting a little better. Chris and I, and my parents are also suffering from the crud. We are a house full of mouth breathers! This is also the first time Ryan has had a cough. Although it is sad, it is cute at the same time. She has proven again what a trooper she is. Besides being a little fragile, and one rough night, she has been her normal happy self just unable to breathe! Chris is the expert on the bulb syringe (I like for him to be the expert on the things she hates!) He really does a good job of making her feel/breathe better. I am so glad we are a team.

Toes and Nose

Ryan has many new skills these days. She is like a little sponge. She is imitating and picking up on things that I thought she wasn't even paying attention to! She can do the hand gestures to patty cake, ten little monkeys jumping on the bed and she knows quite a few body parts (toes, nose, ears, belly button). I have been trying to capture her skills on video, but it isn't easy. We got a short video of her showing us her nose and toes, but it was a little past bedtime which means super silly Ryan, so that is all we got.

UT vs Texas Tech at Unc Unc's

Saturday night our UT Longhorn football team took on the Texas Tech Red Raiders. Unc Unc and Aunt "Rox" Mis invited Ryan and I over to watch the game. Chris had to work and Mamaw and Grandpa went to Lubbock for the game. The Wimberlys and my good friend Roxie joined us for the game. Uncle set up his large outside screen for us to watch it on. Although it wasn't UT's best performance they won the game and we had a good time with friends and family.

Ryan and Mommy know who is #1

Ryan with her Aunt Rox. Hook 'Em!

Kristi and I getting our girls ready for the rivalry photoshoot

Ryan doing the heisman pose in her UT getup next to darling Ashlyn decked out in Tech gear!

Unc Unc and Aunt Rox loving on Ashlyn

20 Weeks

I am growing! So is baby! I have started to gain some weight and baby is now the size of a cantaloupe. Weighing just under a pound and 7 inches long! I am over half way through and feeling great again. The headaches are over and my blood pressure has been low lately. I go back to the doctor Monday for my bi-monthly appointment. The visits are quick and usually consists of blood pressure check and listening to the heartbeat. We are just hoping that the next 18-20 weeks come and go without any eventful doctor visits. We will have another sonogram in 7 weeks. I am feeling this baby move a lot now and I LOVE it! I can't wiat for Chris to get to feel it. There is nothing better!

With Baby Ivie #2's upcoming arrival I have started to "play" baby doll with Ryan. She got a baby doll for her birthday and I have been pretending to rock and love on the dolly to see how Ryan reacts. My hopes were that she would imitate my actions and show love to the dolly. Boy was I wrong! Ryan abuses this poor doll! She cannot stand for her Mommy to love on the baby. Ryan will stop what she is doing across the room and come over to me if I am holding the doll. She usually grabs the dolly by the leg and tosses it across the room. Then she will crawl into my lap and look up at me with innocent eyes. What a little stinker! Little Munch is gonna have a rude awakening come February! It really is hard not to laugh. We will keep working on it.


Ryan approaching the baby

Ryan knocking down the poor baby

Ryan loves going for walks in the hiking backpack! Chris cannot wait to go on hikes with her. I was driving down our street coming home from work and saw these two cuties hiking along. They are the best!


Ryan's favorite pasttime: Taking all of her books out of her bookshelf and reading all of them. She plays really well by herself. I love to watch her.




Munch is getting SOOOOO big!

Ryan's New Wheels

Thanks to my friend Margaret at work, Ryan is borrowing a mini Red Ryder wagon. It is perfect to improve her walking skills. She already had a push toy but it seemed to get away from her and she wouldn't push it for long. This wagon is prefect! The wheels don't spin out of control so Ryan feels comfortable pushing it! You can't stop her now (only furniture can and she gets MAD!) And after a few days on the wagon she got the confidence to try her other push toy and now she can push it no problem. She is so cute to watch! We even took it for a spin outside. She even fell down on her knees a few times and never cried, just got back up and kept trucking!

Here are a few videos of Ryan and the wagon. The video of her in her diaper was the first time she used it (shows the frustration of appliances and furniture in her path!) Outside in the street was great because she had the open road!

Our Uneventful (But Fun) Week

Ryan has figured out how to get into one of her toy baskets! Chris heard some grunting and discovered she had fallen half in and half out! He quickly got the camera and took a picture and then helped the poor girl out.

Proud Daddy and proud daughter. Ryan seeing her Daddy off bright and early. Chris participated in a 9/11 memorial Saturday morning.


Mommy and Ryan (Ry is sporting one of her super cute outfits from the Tharp boys!)

Her future is so bright!

Ryan's Video

My good friend Kristi made this sweet video of Ryan's first year of life. The song is one that Chris listens to and sings to Ryan during her bath. They are so sweet together. She stares up at him and watches him sing it. He says her little eyes looking up at him chokes him up everytime(when I peek in it chokes me up too!) Thanks Kristi for making this for us!

A Mouth Full

Ryan has 8 teeth now! Four on top and four on bottom. Her snaggle isn't quite as noticeable. And that dimple! She is too much- sweet, happy Munch!

Labor Day weekend filled with live music outside!

This weekend we finally got a break from the heat! We enjoyed every second of it and went on multiple walks and listened to lots of live music outside! Ryan had a blast. This chick loves music!

Ryan got in a bounce house with the big kids!

She loved it!

Mommy and Ryan listening to music at

Pantego Labor Day Concert

She is so fun!

(baby bump is growing!)

Mamaw and Ryan on the train

Bedford Blues Festival jammin' with Daddy

The Blair kids shared their toys and snacks with Ry

Ryan and Daddy listening to JT at Levitt Pavillion in Arlington